Pipe and sewer cleaning apparatus



?atentecl Sept. 6,

UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE 2,481,152 PIPE AND SEWER CLEANING APPARATUSNorbert M. Redmond, Sr., New Orleans, La. Application October 12, 1945,Serial No. 621,986

1 Claim. (Cl. 15104.06)

The present invention relates to pipe and sewer cleaning machines andapparatus, for the purpose of removing obstructions and clogged matterfrom such pipes or sewers. The primar object of the invention is toprovide a flexible, expansible and collapsible, funnel-shaped plug orhead, with control rope attached, adapted for insertion within a pipe ordrain sewer with its tapered end innermost and with its flared andflexible outer margins adapted for frictionally contacting the circularwalls of the pipe or sewer, whereby water may be flushed into the pipeor sewer from its outer end, and filling into the open and flared end ofthe plug or head will drive same inwardly along the pipe or sewer andthus serve to clear same of obstructions, the device being controlledand operated by means of the attached control rope.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device or apparatusof the kind referred to, means for scalloping or fluting the peripheralmargin of the flared and flexible outer end of the funnel-shaped plug orhead at its point of contact with the walls of the pipe or sewer,thereby providing channels through which the pent-up water within thesewer may flush and flow for facilitating the clearing of obstructionsfrom the pipe or sewer.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a device orapparatus of the kind re ierred to, independent means for anchoring andholding the described water plug or head fixedly in position within thepipe or sewer, with the flexible peripheral margins of the flared outerend thereof in fixed and unbroken contact with the walls of the pipe orsewer, for the purpose of damming and holding the water as pent upoutwardly thereof, from flowing on through the pipe or sewer, while samemay be in process of repair inwardly of the said plug or head.

' With the above stated objects in view, together with such other andadditional objects and advantages as may be pointed out in the followingspecification, attention is now directed to the accompanying drawing,wherein is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, andwherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a section of sewerpipe and through a water plug or head constructed in accordance withthis invention and mounted therein, the outer, annular and flexible lipof the plug being here shown as fully and completely in contact with theinner curved surfaces of the sewer pipe, for the purpose oi directingthe flow of water centrally through 2 the plug as required in oneoperation.

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, showing however theannular and flexible outer lip of the plug as contacting the innersurfaces of the sewer pipe only at regularly spaced intervals, or in afluted relation thereto, for the punpose of providing intermediatepassages for the flow of water peripherally past the plug as required inanother phase of the cleaning operation.

Figure 4 is a cross- Figure 3.

The Water plug or head constituting the subject matter of this inventionis of hollow and conical formation from end to end, and is designed fortemporarily inserting within any pipe or sewer, such as represented at 5in the drawing, for the purpose either of clearing and freeing such pipeor sewer of any clogging matter or obstruction that may accumulatetherein from time to time, or for stopping the flow of water or liquidphase of the cleaning section on the line 4-4 of matter through the pipeor sewer in the process of making repairs to the pipe or sewer. Thiswater plug is represented generally at 6, is hollow interiorly as shown,and is formed conically from its outer end to its inner end. It iscomposed as here shown, of three sections, 6a, Eb and 60, each annularin cross-section and of successively reduced and complemental diametersso as to form and provide a uniformly regular. conical structure fromend to end. The outer end section 611 of the plug is comparatively shortand is formed of live rubber or other suitably flexible material, whilethe connected inner sections 6b and 6c are formed of water-proofedcanvas or the like material, These sections are operatively joinedtogether end to end by means of rigid supporting rings 7 of iron, steelor other desirable material. In this assembly the meeting annularmargins of the outer section Ea and the inner section 8b are overlaid,and a supporting ring 1 is inserted inwardly at the juncture andpermanently locked in place by means of rivets 8 or other conventionalmeans. In a simi lar manner another but smaller ring 0'' connects theoverlapped and meeting margins of the sec tions 6b and 60, said ringbeing similarly locked in place by rivets 8 or other means. Of coursethe sections 612' and may be constructed integrally if preferred, but inany event the sup porting ring 1 are necessary in order to maintain thestructure in operatively expanded position.

The reduced inner end of the plug is joined by means of other rivets Bto an apertured metal outlet or nozzle 9, this nozzle being threaded atits exposed end to receive a complementally threaded cap 19, the purposeand function of which will be later explained.

A flat cross bar or stay I is exten deddiametrically across the outerring 1, the same being an chored in place by bolts or rivets ll passed.through the angularly turned ends of the bar and into the ring. Acontrol rod I2 is passed slidably and medially through this cross has,the sagng being threaded at its inner end to engage a tapped nut l3, andthe outer end thereof'bei-ng looped as at 52a for engaging the ir nenand, of; open-1, ating rope or cable M which is knotted thereto asshown. A circular draw plate [-5 is-mounted through its center upon. therod l2, and is supported in an outwardly disposed-' relation noh the rodby means of a stop lug or nut Hi A phi; rality of draw chains, I}; areextended: radially from the plate Hi to the outer and resilientsection6a, in a regularlyspaced relation, theends of these chains, bein v sficiid othe; p fii fi inner face f t ey c ion 6a; y r n s; and rt et asindicated at I111, The chains; I;I asthus ar; ranged and extendedeenhect s9 what nsue larly w the es lient 9:, o 1- st e right th make t.eeh ectie i th out any sagging. Hence. on; theouiayard; slidablemovement of the control rod l2 as drawn upon by the cable 54,itisobvipusthat the-chains draw and bend the resilient ring or section6a inwardly at regularly spaced points as showh alifiddnfiigures 3 and4, thus formingthe intermediate pe ripherally disposed channelsv or,water passa es l8 immediately adjacent the: inner sunfaces of, the pipeor sewer 5, the extent ordepth of these chan-. nels depending upon theadqustm ent of the, nut 13 upon the rod 12 for; regulating, the slidable movement of this rod through the cross-bar l0. Through these waterpassages, l8 as well as through the nozzle 9, the water may flow freelyin the process of cleaning apip orf'sewer, in a manner later more fullyexpl Itis obyious too, that by means of; turn l3; to the required degreene ther i I thepley hav of this rod through the cross bar Ill maybereduced to a minimum or stopped; altogether, so that the resilientouter lip of the section Bu will fully and continuously contact theinner surfaces of the pipe or sewer at all points, regardless of anypull upon the rope or cable It. The purpose of this arrangement willalso be later pointed out, in the explanation of the mode of-use and.oper-. ation.

In the use of this'cleaningdevice (an apparatus, the same is insertedinto the pipe orsewerathat is to be cleaned, through any opening asformed in the line in conventional-mariner; and withthe smaller andtapered-inner end ofsthe. deviceeforee most, all movementofthe'deulceasrwell, aslwaten as imagined as flowing throughthepipetorsewen being from the right hand; to; the le f;t:-. handlesindicated by the arrows,- in; the d-ra in Ii-he device being attachedto, the rcme @1019 t l-is of course at all times underthe Qgnt l 0 op mthus.v more he. lei 2a r: ward or backward through the; pipqqr; sewer;E5 s y e found i able. i ei ipe sewn" s then filled with water throughthe, connect manhole (not shown). In dpin g; this a cons d l heed presure; s l telsm ctm h nine or sewer, whereby the outer resilient section6a is pressed snugly against the inner surfaces of the pipe or sewer.This action creates enough friction to firmly hold the element in place,thus functioning as a water-plug. Simultaneously the canvas sections 6band 6c stiffen out and expand similarly to the action of a fire hose,whereby the water pressure is constricted and narrowed down and forcedthrough the nozzle 9 with a considerable. force, the stream of whichfluctuating from side to side effectually operates to clean the walls ofthe pipe or sewer. After the obstructions in the pipe or sewer have thusbeen softened up, the, cable [4 may be pulled upon, thus exerting apulling effect upon the chains 11 and drawing spaced portions of thesection 6a inwardly for forming the water passages l8 through which thewater may flow for cleaning or reinforcing the cleaning operation of thewater flow through the nozzle 9. While the apparatus is in the describedposition he at r t hms. hro gh he flut a sag a s s e; ntire,- ev e, to.osc lla e hu a in e ean n r r ti m, At th s tim he device is released byloosening of thecable l,4, an d the device slips inwardly into thepi-peerr-sewer, Where theifriction of the; resilient head, or; section 6a aganst the inner wa ls oi hen ne, o sewel; serves again to hold, it. forfurther an Eepeated cleanin op ra on Th s me ro e ure, s. r pea d. util, e. e tite n n -er se rris leaned, W re it m e h esserr t irs, to.such pipe line or sewer, the screw cap. laisturned p the of t e. hezzle9,. ari the nut 3, s. then turned upon the rod 1-2; to the point where te ou er. p. t h ection. t f ictio al y con.- tacts the inner, walls ofthe pipeor sewer, Fare,- gardless of any strain or pullupo-n the cable[4,. Thus the device or plug 6 is held stationarily, in p i i n b e hsfthe t le i and. mhtt b as an effectual stoppage againfill, th flow ofwater or l uid a r d rina he nre e s of. makin a s at y gi en point a onth ne: In e o e ne. p nd o itioni g f, the nut I3. for the purpose abovedescribed, a, separate rope or cable (not here shown) may-be secured atits inner-end. to thecross bar ,0 and extfinded to h h n Qt he ner te sw qm r ie the. outer end thereof to any fixed support Thiscxe pedient isso simple and conventional, thatno sep ra e shew-ins hereqt is. m dej nhe -sewin It s. envio s that em he onstru t ng. a h w a d rom h flexib1e.natur Q he: can. w s; s t s 5 nd e. hat he wateh th s Qt head Sunderthe pressurepf. water; as, filled in to the e. r e r: utw rd y, et t.may he W ked t ou anclarqun ur ed. ec i ns or ih hts f, ne. Or se r, aay be. e ir d. hthe o k l mhe o epaihfahd h le he e s ere -ce ta m. emen s, fv he nveht n and specific structural features thereof, the described. tr t r l, a u es may. he. changed or m d as may be. oun d srable, within the c e er Qt ha pehded cla m.

h la m na. evice o thek d desclibsian, elongated end. en ta wa er. sadapted or inser ion within and through a sewer pipe for cleaning or z eine ame, th flerieda te a s of, h plu eing ex b e: mate al et it q e al,tena t t h ll-W nner; illd i 1 6 nine, n zz e Seated hr-e ehi he apexoi. thereduced, h h en of he, lhaa emp able; center he. o te e rie hnozzle. a upeen iner ha s ated. r sve se y w hin he fished outer nact,the

"la sl g, inw rd y t he fle ib emar ins. thereoi, a.

fiat cross-bar extended diametrically across the ring, the said barbeing apertured along the axis of the plug, a control rod passedslidably through said aperture of the cross-bar, the same being threadedat its inner end as projected through the aperture of the cross-bar andhaving an adjustment nut mounted thereon, an operating cable secured atits inner end to the outer end of the control rod, a circular draw-platemounted through an apertured center upon the control rod in outwardlyspaced relation to the inner end of the rod, a stop-nut on the controlrod at the inner side of the draw-plate, a plurality of draw-chainsextended radially from the draw-plate to the outer flared and flexiblemargins of the plug in regularly spaced relation, the said plug beingconstructed of conical sections of flexible material, each annular incross section when expanded and of successively reduced and complementaldiameters at their ends so as to form and complete a uniformly regularand conical structure from end to end, supporting rings seatedtransversely in the successively reduced inner ends of the sections andadapted to enter the relatively flared outer ends of adjacent sections,and means for securing the sections together at said rings.

NORBERT M. REDMOND, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

